


day seven - prompt #076

by MarkJinFicFest



Series: Forever and A Day - MarkJinFicFest [14]
Category: GOT7
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-20
Updated: 2017-09-20
Packaged: 2018-12-31 22:31:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12142527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarkJinFicFest/pseuds/MarkJinFicFest
Summary: Prompt no: #076Prompt: Jinyoung is an aspiring writer hoping for his biggest break out and Mark is the editor assigned to Jinyoung. What should be a professional relationship took an unexpected turn when Mark found out that Jinyoung's been writing about him in secrecy.Title: A Perfect SeductionAuthor: @sonicboom_nim on TwitterSide pair: minor!2jaeRating: MWord count: 10k





	day seven - prompt #076

Jinyoung's hands trembled as he passed Mark the stack of papers he'd brought to the office with him.

This was new, Mark noted. Jinyoung, like most newbie writers, usually was a bit overconfident about his work, always convinced he'd written a masterpiece when in actuality he'd just churned out another imitation diamond which needed desperate polishing to make it look real. Jinyoung was full of untapped potential, always one step or two away from becoming truly great, but he just hadn't been able to realize it yet. Perhaps Mark had firmly drilled that into Jinyoung's head by now, and it had made him more nervous about submitting his work.  _Good,_ Mark thought to himself.  _It's a tough world out there for writers. He **should** be nervous._

“Is this it?” Mark asked, studying the title page.  _The Key to Your Heart_ :  _A Novel by Park Jinyoung_. It was much thinner than what Mark was used to. Another good sign—Jinyoung had previously had a problem with getting far too flowery in his descriptions, making his stories much longer than they needed to be.

“Yes,” Jinyoung said. “My new manuscript.”

“That was fast.”

“Well, you rejected my last two,” Jinyoung said, a bit peevishly. “I need to make money somehow.”

“You know, it's really not good to keep churning things out and hoping something will stick. If you put a lot of effort into something and take your time, the results will be a whole lot better.”

“Trust me, I put a lot of effort into this.” He leaned forward, fixing Mark in his gaze. He usually had warm looking eyes, especially when the whiskers appeared there when he was smiling, but now he was perfectly serious. “I thought a lot about the advice you've been giving, and you're right. My love stories  _aren't_ as realistic as they should be. You were right that I was writing them naively since I haven't been in love in such a long time. You were even 100% right about my leading men being flat. I read the old manuscripts again, and they  _were_ like fantasy figures with no depth.”

 _Wow,_ Mark thought to himself.  _Park Jinyoung admitting he's wrong? I can't believe I'm not videotaping this._

Jinyoung looked at Mark even more firmly, if possible. “But this manuscript isn't like that. I didn't write this naively at all. This is 100% from my heart, and I'm sure if you read it, you'll understand that this isn't about fantasy people who aren't relatable, but this is about  _real life_.”

“I see...” Mark said, lifting an eyebrow. “Did you manage to fall in love since the last time I saw you?”

Jinyoung finally leaned back, folding his arms across his chest and staring down at the nameplate on Mark's desk. “Something like that.”

“I hate to sound like a broken record, but that was fast.” Mark couldn't imagine what kind of person someone like Jinyoung would fall in love with. He was a solitary type, more focused on his writing than anything else, easily moody, and highly sensitive. On the other hand, he was also incredibly smart, talented, driven, kind hearted, and hard working. He was so invested in his career that Mark found it a little difficult to imagine anything else occupying his thoughts, but then again, he was  _very_ handsome, which probably meant there were a lot of interested parties. His lack of a love life always had more to do with his devotion to writing than a lack of popularity. It must have taken someone special to even slightly divert Jinyoung's focus.

“I wouldn't say it was fast,” Jinyoung muttered. “More like it had been building gradually and I finally clued in that my feelings for this person weren't just an overwhelming desire to stick them with voodoo pins. Though sometimes I still want to.”

“Lovely,” Mark said dryly. “Well, if it helps your writing, I can't complain. I'll go over this as soon as I can, and I'll call you back when I'm ready to talk about it. In the meantime, is there anything else you want to talk about while you're here?”

“Yeah,” Jinyoung said, finally looking back into Mark's eyes. “The Publishing House Gala.”

Mark groaned. “Don't remind me.”

“Not excited?”

“Are you kidding? Are  _you_ excited?”

Jinyoung shrugged. “This will be my first year going.”

“Well. Let me tell you, it's just four hours of schmoozing with people with a lounge singer performing watered down versions of jazz songs in the background. And one hour of it is pretty much Youngjae giving a 'speech,' which is 50% just him laughing at his own jokes.”

Jinyoung smiled wryly. “President Choi is pretty endearing though.”

“Don't call him 'President Choi.' How he got to be the president of any company is beyond me.”

“Well, um, he did  _found_ Choi Publishing House, so it would be a bit strange if someone else was made president. Not that I don't think you'd do a good job.”

Mark simply snorted. He was still fairly convinced Youngjae's success at the company had to be 50% luck, and 50% securing them the nation's most up-and-coming writer by...less than ethical means.

“Are you going with anyone?” Jinyoung asked nonchalantly.

“Hmm?”

“As a date. We can have a plus one, according to the ticket.”

“I'm not seeing anyone, so no.”

“Well, there were rumors,” Jinyoung said, shifting in his seat. “That you might take the top authoress in the romance department, the one whose novel got turned into a drama last quarter.”

Mark tsked under his breath. The authors at his company were such a gossipy bunch, and their rumors were usually about as fictitious as their novels.

“Dating authors is completely against company rules,” Mark reminded Jinyoung.

Jinyoung blinked. “Ummm...President Choi is literally sleeping with the company's top author.”

Mark tsked again. “Just because Youngjae thinks it's OK to break his own rules doesn't mean  _I_ think it's OK to.”

Jinyoung frowned a little, then sighed. “Yeah, I thought as much. Well. I'll still look forward to seeing you there.” He rose to his feet. “That's really all I had to say, so I'll head home for now. Oh, and Mark?”

“Yeah?”

“Please be sure to read that manuscript,  _very_ carefully. It would be a shame if the message of the book flew over your head.”

Mark glared at him. “Jinyoung, I'm one of the best editors here. There's no way I'm going to be stumped by your book.”

“I hope not. But just remember. There's more to it than there seems.”

0o0

Making Mark Jinyoung's editor had been Youngjae's idea. Actually, Mark being involved in publishing  _at all_  had been Youngjae's idea.

“Hey,” Youngjae had announced to Mark one day while they were in university. “I'm thinking of starting an independent publishing company.”

“That's one hell of a crappy idea,” Mark had responded bluntly. “It's a struggling industry, and what kind of connections do you even have?”

“Awwwww, come on, give it some credit! People are reading a lot, just not in the same old-fashioned way. Ever go online, Mark? People are reading there  _plenty._ It's just for free—fanfiction and Livejournal stuff, you know? And did you ever think they're reading it because that's the kind of content they're looking for, and they're not receiving it from books that are actually being published?”

“No,” Mark said. “I'm in tech writing. I don't think about novels at all.”

“OK, OK, your field might be different, but tech writing still involves a good eye for editing. Just saying, if you want a guaranteed job after graduating, I'd be willing to hire you on as an editor when I start my company.”

“And what exactly about this is guaranteed? Starting a business isn't exactly easy, Youngjae. Plus, you can't just publish people's fanfiction. Ever heard of copyright?”

“Ever heard of Fifty Shades of Grey? The character names aren't important, it's the feeling of the  _content_. Something that's not so dramatic as the shirt-ripping Fabios your grandma reads, but more exciting than dry literary romances. I  _know_ this will work.” Youngjae suddenly got a smug look on his face. “Besides, you said I need a connection? I have one. You know that one-night stand I had with that guy last week?”

Mark rolled his eyes. “Unfortunately, yes.”

“Well. That was Im Jaebum. Prize writer of the school literary journal. And—fun fact—a huge online writer in secret. He just  _loves_ that American mystery series about the guy who solves mysteries with his cats. He's also insanely good writer who secretly wrote this adorable romance about two people brought together by their cats, which would be HUGE if he published it. If I get him to let me publish that book and market it to his followers, we  _would_ have the foundation for a company.”

“And what makes you think he'd take a risk on someone like you, someone he's slept with  _once_ , most likely while he was drunk, instead of going for a big publishing house?”

“Because, it's no longer a one-night stand,” Youngjae said triumphantly. “And that guy was definitely NOT drunk last time, and he definitely  _did_ say something along the lines of he'd do anything for me that I wanted if I started seeing him exclusively, so...”

Naturally, since it was Youngjae and Youngjae walked a magical rainbow road where the sun smiled down on him, he worked his PR skills so well that Jaebum's book became a massive hit and turned into a best-selling series which launched them from a one-author, two-employee company into the respectable business they were today. Mark acquiesced and stayed on as an editor and wound up working on some best sellers of his own. These days, he was senior staff, and generally worked exclusively with the company's top authors, though occasionally he took a rookie under his wing, but only if he actually requested to do so.

But Jinyoung was different, not of his own choosing. Youngjae had discovered Jinyoung in a writing contest for online writers who specialized in writing about celebrities, and had printed out his story for Mark to read. “This guy has potential,” he'd announced over a business lunch. “He was the runner up, but with a little work, he could be far better than the writer who won. And I think you should be the one to do that little bit of work to help him.”

“Me?” Mark repeated, skimming over the story. He wasn't as into the whole romance thing as Youngjae was, and preferred working with the writers in the action and thriller departments. “Er...no, thank you.”

“I'm not asking. I'm  _assigning_.”

“What for? You have other editors.”

“And you're the best. Seriously, Mark, this guy could be Jaebum-level if he put the effort in. His storylines are a little over-idealistic and unbelievable, but his language is beautiful and just tugs at your heartstrings. It would be a huge shame if his talent was wasted just because it's not perfect.”

“If you like it so much, why don't you edit for him?”

“I've got my hands—and other body parts—full of Jaebum. He has a movie deal and merchandising empire to juggle, not to mention his book tour circuits with all the cat lovers of Korea to manage. I can't really split my time.” Youngjae flashed puppy dog eyes. “Come on, Mark. You'll  _like_ this guy. He's good, I swear. You just have to make him  _better_.”

And so Mark had become Park Jinyoung's editor, albeit unwillingly. He'd been a little bit resentful at being forced into something, and probably let that leak out when he'd first met Jinyoung in person. Jinyoung had been bright and sweet, but far too confident in his own abilities and unconvinced of his weak points thanks to all the support he'd been receiving online. His stubbornness had forced Mark to be hard on him, and Mark being hard on him in turn made  _Jinyoung_ resentful. Their first few months of knowing each other had been a long, drawn out battle of them bitching back and forth at each other without accomplishing much of anything.

And then the one other author in the romance department Mark worked with had her series turned into a drama.  _That_ at last set a fire under Jinyoung. He realized he had to become better and discipline himself if he wanted to reach the top. He worked harder on his writing, and actually listened to Mark for once in his life. With his bullheaded tendencies minimized, they finally got a little bit closer to each other. Underneath all the confidence, Jinyoung was actually quite a sensitive person. He thought about things seriously, was empathetic, and could be incredibly gentle when he wanted. At his heart, he was a good person. And in spite of his lack of polish, he  _was_ incredibly talented, just as Youngjae had said. All of that had made Mark warm up to him and try to be kinder to him so he could somehow unlock that potential. After all, Jinyoung's true weak point was a kind of innocence when it came to love. He didn't actually have much experience with it, so his writing struggled in reflecting its true nature. Mark couldn't exactly be cruel to him because of that. If anything, it was kind of endearing.

So they'd become better friends and allies recently, but over the past month, Mark had felt something changing again. Jinyoung's mood had become a bit more erratic, going from being sweet to combative to sad to almost hesitant, as if he was always almost on the verge of asking or demanding something of Mark, but never following through. Mark thought it might be the stress of making his literary debut getting to him, but other times he wasn't so sure. He wondered if maybe he wasn't a good fit as an editor with Jinyoung after all—editors had to be supportive and encouraging, and sometimes he thought Jinyoung was more discouraged nowadays than anything.

But the new manuscript was a good sign. And possibly the new romance or crush or whatever Jinyoung was going through. Mark was interested to see how it would affect Jinyoung's writing, and what kind of difference it would make. In a way, he felt a little envious—he wanted to be the one to unlock Jinyoung's potential, since that was what he'd been signed up by Youngjae to do—but as long as Jinyoung was happy again and writing at the level his talent deserved, it would all be worth it in the end.

0o0

Mark started reading Jinyoung's manuscript that night, after cooking himself a pasta dinner and throwing himself down in his arm chair. Jinyoung's characters were usually celebrities, since that was how he'd gotten his start, and this time the leading lady was an up-and-coming idol solo singer named Jiyul. The story started with her being at the very lowest point of her career, going from audition to audition, earning next to nothing singing in bars, dodging the less than scrupulous men who wanted to sponsor her for their own purposes, and so on.

Mark usually loved Jinyoung's female characters. They were well-written and intelligent, and unlike his male leads, they weren't usually overly idealized. They were women you felt like you had met before in real life, women who were actually like real women instead of a man's fantasy concept of one. A few chapters in, and Mark already felt like Jiyul fit that mold.

 _After this latest rejection, it felt like my world was caving in,_ Mark read to himself as Jiyul failed another audition.  _I had spent all my life thinking I would be a singer, and to be told over and over again that I was close but not good enough, that my voice was too generic, that I had nothing special about my delivery to make it stand out, that my enunciation was terrible, that my voice alone couldn't carry me to where I wanted to go crushed the last sliver of hope out of me. I would just continue trundle from one bar to another, singing other people's songs to drunk businessmen who cared more about my legs than my voice, and this would be my entire life, all my dreams ever amounted to. This would be my legacy._

_I got drunk before my next gig at The Tune Factory. It was the only way I could face the microphone and all the people indifferently watching me in between their sips of liquor and loud stories of the sales they had made that day, the business battles they had won. I must have slurred my way through Lee Hyori's “Lesson,” paying only half-attention to the lyrics I usually loved. **Proudly keep your eyes high, with everything that you do, boldly have courage. You don't have to be you. Even if a whispered “I love you” nonchalantly passes your ears, don't let them take the key to your heart.** That was what I had wanted, to perform in front of everyone not having to be myself but  **better**  than myself, and keeping my heart free to do what I loved. But I had failed at that. I had to continue to be me, boring Jiyul, not good enough Jiyul, the key to my heart taken by everyone so they could force it open, tear it out, and leave me with nothing._

_It was when I was singing, half-hiccuping Hyori's assertion that **there is no perfect seduction** that I looked up and saw him._

“And here comes the hopefully new and improved romantic interest,” Mark murmured, turning the page. He was curious as to what kind of man Jinyoung had settled on, and his curiosity was piqued even further by the fact that Jiyul reminded him a little bit of Jinyoung himself—she started off with the same overconfidence Jinyoung had suffered from, and the same indignation and frustration that her talent on its own wasn't able to get her anywhere. Maybe that was why Mark was enjoying this story so much. The scenario was finally realistic, because it was one Jinyoung actually understood.

The 'him' Jiyul had looked up and seen had wound up being some low-level manager at a talent company whose name was Mansik. Mansik, of course, hadn't been overly impressed by Jiyul's drunk cover of Hyori, but had still taken pity on her and came up to her at the bar to offer some industry advice. The advice naturally had been along the lines of “You have potential but your execution is terrible and I could get a more emotional delivery out of a piece of cardboard,” which Jiyul, fresh off her latest rejection, hadn't taken well. She went on a very eloquently written tirade about how no one “got” her talent and everyone expected things from her that were unnecessary and that the industry could take its impossible standards and shove it up their collective pie holes, starting with Mansik. Mansik, apparently not one to be told to shove things up his pie hole, fired back, telling her that she must not really care about her dream if she wasn't willing to develop her talent and that she had no right to assume she deserved to be at the top when she hadn't even mastered herself, much less anyone else she would be competing with. Drunk Jiyul had started crying, and Mansik, still angry and not even sure how to begin comforting her, simply tossed her his business card and said he would help her if and only if she was willing to change.

Luckily, Jiyul took the card and reflected about what he had said, realizing that she really wouldn't be able to go any further if she didn't make the effort to do more than what she'd been doing. She called Mansik up, grudgingly, and the two began working with each other in between jobs, one to become the artist she dreamed of being and the other to prove his worth as a manager and foster the small light of potential he saw in her.

The novel continued to follow that thread for some time, exploring the bumps in their working relationship and their frequent clashes of attitude. Jiyul frequently struggled with her pride and reluctance to admit that she often didn't do things as well as they could be done. Mansik likewise had to overcome his temper and tendency to berate her when she wasn't performing up to his expectations.

Then, since this was a romance, the emotions gradually began to change as Jiyul finally managed to pass her auditions and debut, and Mansik genuinely did become her manager.

 _I found myself looking at him in new ways, from time to time,_ Mark read.  _I was never really sure what exactly changed. While it was true that my entire world had in a sense shifted into something new, going from a down-on-her-luck nobody to a singer creeping her way into household name territory, I wasn't sure that was what influenced everything between him and me. Somehow, I realized now that he was the only person in the world who had ever really seen me entirely, both as miserable and unpolished Jiyul and as who I was becoming now. He understood me down to my core, saw every single one of my flaws, knew me at my worst, and still he stood by me and helped me find the courage I needed to unfurl my wings and soar._

_And I knew him as well. I knew him for both his curmudgeonly and surly sides, and the side of him that would do anything to see me happy and fulfilled because seeing the people around him realize themselves gave him a genuine kind of joy. We both understood each other in ways no one else would ever be able to. My fans would love me, but they would never truly know me as he knew me. I would always be the goddess, the idealized obsessions of fantasies, but never a flawed girl who had almost been too stubborn to open her eyes to the world stretched out before her._

_But the closer I grew to Mansik, the more unobtainable he became. The key to an idol's heart belongs to everyone and no one. She is adored by all and belongs to them universally, while at the same time never able to set her sights on just one or give her heart exclusively, at least at the beginning. And a manager isn't someone she should be looking at in the slightest. He is there to help her, to put her name in lights, to guide her, nothing more. It's a relationship formed on mutual ambition, not love. That is what I tell myself, at least. But still I watch him. Still, more and more, I want him. I want to be known by the one who already knows me best, but sometimes it terrifies me. What if he already knows as much of me as he wants to know?_

_What if I have at last found the one thing that will force him to turn his back?_

“Not bad,” Mark said, setting down the manuscript for the time being. For the first time, he actually really liked one of Jinyoung's main male characters. Mansik was relatable—in fact, he had taken the same attitude Mark himself would have taken in the same situation. It would be interesting to see how a guy like that would take Jiyul's emotions when he found out. To Mark, the two of them seemed very well-suited for each other—a romantic comedy couple, part bickering, part unwavering support. A pair like that would definitely make for a good romance.

“Good job, Park Jinyoung,” Mark said to himself, stretching out his cramped limbs. “I knew you had potential in you, after all.”

0o0

“So, what do you think?” Jinyoung asked, nervously playing with his napkin. They were at a business lunch together at a downtown cafe, having a check-in. Mark was about half-way done with Jinyoung's manuscript at this point, and Jinyoung liked to have regular progress reports.

“It's excellent,” Mark said. “Your best by far. You weren't lying when you said you were taking this seriously.”

Jinyoung sighed in relief. He'd probably been incredibly anxious about it over the past few days. “And my plot? My characterization?”

“Strong so far. I really like the dynamic of them being an idol and a manager. It provides a nice air of the scandalous and forbidden, without being...I don't know, inappropriate or gross? I think the characters match together well.”

Jinyoung's eyes widened. “D-Do you?” he asked.

“For sure. It's like they got off to a rough start, but still have great chemistry. Kind of like Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy.”

“I never would have pegged you for having read  _Pride & Prejudice_.”

Mark shrugged. “My best friend is a romance nut. It just kind of happened.”

Jinyoung smiled. “I wasn't insulting you. I think it's cute.”

Mark flushed a little. “Cute? Who do you think you're talking to, Park Jinyoung?”

“Someone who's also a little bit proud and terribly cute at the same time, just like Mr. Darcy.” Jinyoung resumed playing with his napkin. “And, um, the male lead. What do you think?”

“I like him,” Mark said immediately. “Very relatable and well written. Not over idealized in the slightest. He's just got just the right amount of imperfections and hang ups to make him a guy I feel like I know.”

“Yeah,” Jinyoung said. “In fact, he's pretty much like someone you really  _do_ know. Someone you know  _well_.”

“Well, certainly not Youngjae, that's for sure,” Mark snorted. “Or else he would have slept with her, then signed her onto the label and made her the nation's top idol all within chapter one.”

“Right...” Jinyoung looked at Mark solemnly. “You know what, Mark? You're a great editor. You're the best person possible I could have been assigned to. You're the reason why I was able to make a story good enough to be published. You know and understand me better than anyone else in the world knows and understands me, and I'm really grateful to you. Truly.”

“R-really?” Mark asked, a little flustered. “You're great, too, Jinyoung. I know without a doubt that you're going to be a best-selling author one day.”

“Thank you,” Jinyoung said. “But I have one more thing to say. For such an amazing editor who is very observant when it comes to making plot points and characters better, you really are pretty oblivious when it comes to real life, aren't you?”

“ _Excuse me?!?!_ ”

“I'm counting on you, Mark,” Jinyoung said, reaching out to touch Mark's now clenched hand. “Please read the manuscript even more  _carefully_ in the future.”

0o0

 _I **am** reading it carefully, _Mark thought peevishly as he picked up the manuscript when he got home.  _I haven't missed a single error, and I get what Jinyoung is trying to say with the plot, about how the entertainment industry works and what it takes to become the best version of yourself. I get it, OK, Park Jinyoung? I'm missing **nothing**_ **.**

With another snort of annoyance, he resumed where he had left off. Things had been starting to pick up a little bit between Jiyul and Mansik after she released her breakthrough album. In the afterglow of celebrating, Mansik seemed to become more aware of her, and seemed to be little by little recognizing her feelings were a little bit deeper than what an idol normally had for her manager. At first, he tried to keep her at arms length, hinting to her that the relationship wouldn't be appropriate given their positions and her need to keep her public image the best it could be, but the closer Jiyul got to him, the less he was able to push back. It seemed like he was beginning to fall too, though he was resistant to the idea of succumbing.

At last, things came to a head at their company's end-of-the-quarter party. Jiyul and Mansik ended up in the coat room together after a really funny episode involving the coat boy running off with a girl group member and causing massive panic among the party attendees. As the two are trying to reorganize all the VIP items coat check boy had abandoned, things get particularly heated.

 _The silence between us is deafening, though his every movement is screaming out to me, every infinitesimal movement of his muscles, every intake of his breath,_ Mark continued. _I want him so intensely, I want to break down the wall which exists between us which neither of us has done anything about until now, but part of me is still terrified that he'll turn away from me, that he'll never be able to see me outside of the terms of his protege, his business partner, the girl he is contractually obligated to both support through everything and yet maintain acceptable distance from._

_We reach out at the same time for someone's mink coat, and he tries to draw away first. Before he can, I snatch his hand in mine, admiring the long length of his fingers, the way they instinctively curl into mine, in spite of his hesitance._

“ _We can't stay like this,” I say softly. “This isn't about what we should or shouldn't do anymore. This is about what we want. And you have to know this already, but you're the only one I'm ever going to want, and I'm tired of pretending. Aren't you, Mansik? Aren't you tired?”_

_He looks at me, his longing thinly veiled. I know it then, that it's not just me. Everything we've ever done together has always been about us, even if I'm the one who reaps most of the benefits of it. We rose together, we worked together, and we fell in love together. From the moment I met him, I've never been alone._

Mark's heart fluttered a little bit at that. It was such a nice sentiment, that feeling of walking a journey with someone and never feeling alone while at their side.

“ _You don't belong to me,” Mansik says quietly. “And I can't belong to you. You can have everyone in the world, Jiyul. Why would you want just me?”_

“ _I don't know,” I say. “But I do. No matter how many people I meet, no matter how beautiful or handsome or illustrious they are, I just want you. I used to be afraid of it, but now...” I guide his hand to my waist, pulling him closer to me. “I don't have to be me for anyone else. I can play the idol, the dream woman. But for you, I **want** to just be me. You're the one who knows me, and I want you to know me more. I want you to know everything.”_

_I'm sure he's going to argue with me, but he doesn't. Gently, he pulls me against him and he kisses me tenderly, his touch sweet and affectionate, proving just how much he's thought of me without ever saying or possibly even realizing. Something sparks deep inside me, something that makes me want to both cry in joy and laugh until my lungs are exhausted. The distance between us is at last crumbling, leaving the path to where we've been heading from the beginning finally open._

_I want to sing in exultation, to put words to what I'm feeling, to shape it into a song for him and him only. Instead, I pull him closer to me, moving his hands to the zipper of my dress. He hesitates, but I break away from our kiss and tell him it's OK. This is what I want. He's shown me the way to myself, and I've shown him the way to himself. I want him to feel the heart he's unlocked, the deepest, most secret sides of myself. I want to unlock him, to finally not have pieces of me taken, but instead willingly given to the person I love the most._

Mark continued reading in that vein, his ears turning a little red. Jinyoung was actually doing it. He was writing a sex scene, and a damn good one at that. Not tawdry or explicit, but somehow terribly romantic, though it was actually in the coat room in the middle of a company party. You just couldn't help but feel like these people needed to connect, needed to open their minds, hearts, and bodies to each other and completely meld. It was beautiful, and Mark felt his breath catching and heart being moved in an almost indescribable way as he read. In a weird way, he almost wished he could be in that relationship, that he could feel something like that. Jinyoung had done exactly what every good romance writer did—seduced him into the world of the love he had written so thoroughly that Mark ached for it himself.

But at the same time, he felt confused. He hadn't even known Jinyoung had had this side to him, that these kind of words and thoughts could come from him. His previous ideals of love had been too perfect to believe in, but this vision was real, almost as if it had actually happened to Jinyoung himself. It made Mark feel strangely envious and a little lonely. Jinyoung had said Mark knew him best, but Mark suddenly felt like he hadn't been seeing Jinyoung clearly from the beginning. But someone else had managed to touch Jinyoung's heart and help it grow enough to be capable of this kind of understanding of love in such a short amount of time, and Mark wished, faintly, that he had been the person good enough to make that happen.

He threw his head back, pushing the manuscript aside.  _Fuck, this isn't good._ This was why he didn't do romance. When it pulled you in, it was hard to figure out the blurry line between truth and fiction. It was hard not to want to be in love yourself, when you read about other people who were in happy in all the ways you wanted to be happy.

0o0

 

The manuscript was superb. In the end, that was what mattered. Mark had an appointment scheduled with Jinyoung after the Gala to discuss it further, but he sent it off with the first draft of edits to Youngjae just to confirm that it was in good enough shape to consider publishing. Youngjae, a notoriously fast reader, called Mark in for a quick review once he'd worked his way through it.

“What did you think?” Mark asked eagerly. “Much better, right?”

“Yeah, it was great,” Youngjae said. “This was the exact kind of thing I signed him on for in the first place. But...um...there was something about it that was rather....”

“What? You didn't like one of the lead characters, or something?”

“Actually, I would  _love_ to talk to you about the main characters. Particularly Mansik. He  _totally_ reminds you of someone, doesn't he?”

“Yeah, he does,” Mark said. “Which just proves Jinyoung has finally written a male lead who could exist in real life.”

“Right...” Youngjae tried and failed to hold back a burst of laughter. “For someone so smart, Mark, you can really be dumb.”

“What the fuck, Youngjae?”

“OK, let me make this easier for you.  _Jiyul_ at least reminds you of someone, doesn't she?”

“Yeah. She's a bit like Jinyoung.”

“Oh good, you noticed. So Jinyoung is writing about what he knows for this story, emotions he understands. So Jiyul—girl Jinyoung—falls in love with Mansik. Who reminds you of someone. Someone who girl Jinyoung didn't get along with at the beginning, but who she bonded with over her work and their mutual support of each other while they were building her career. Sound familiar?”

Mark blinked.

“OK, Mark, let me make this SUPER easy for you. Jinyoung is clearly, OBVIOUSLY, BL-A-TANT-LY writing about YOU.”

Mark's mouth fell open. “WHAT!?!”

“YOU ARE SO DUMB. I bet Jinyoung even hinted this to your face, and you STILL didn't get it. You relate to Mansik so much because he LITERALLY is you, just with a slightly different occupation, and slightly smarter since he caught on where you didn't.”

“Which means...”

“Jinyoung wants to... how did he say it? He wants you to know him more. He wants you to know  _everything_.” Youngjae paused. “He quite obviously wants you to make love to him in a coat room, too.”

“OK, wow,” Mark murmured, trying to process this. This was good, wasn't it? He felt like this was something he'd definitely wanted to happen when reading the coat room scene to begin with. But wasn't it also kind of not good? He'd wanted to keep it professional. He didn't want to be like Youngjae, who'd technically screwed his way into success, even though Youngjae did really happen to love Jaebum at the same time. He didn't know if he could be in that kind of relationship with someone he had responsibility over—it wasn't exactly fair to the other writers Mark worked with. They'd accuse him of playing favorites.

But there was no denying now that he wanted to cross that line. He'd wanted to be responsible for Jinyoung's change in writing and most of all the change in his heart, and it gave him a kind of gleeful satisfaction to know that he was. The emotions in the story which had affected him so much had been written by Jinyoung  _for_ him.  _About_ him.

“Would it be bad,” Mark murmured under his breath, “if I joined you in breaking the company dating rule?”

“What dating rule? Pretty sure you invented that one yourself.” Youngjae rolled his eyes. “Considering I was breaking it before I even started the company. I say, go get him. It clearly helps his writing, and I think finally getting some would help you be less of a snob all the time. Everyone wins.”

“ _Snob?_ ”

“Yeah. But apparently you're a snob someone is very much obsessed with, so good job on that one. You know, I could clear out coat check for you at the Gala...”

“I think I can manage on my own this time,” Mark said. “But thanks for the offer.”

0o0

Of course, the company Gala was still the royal pain in the ass it always was. Mark had to wear a suit and was immediately swamped by writers in schmooze mode who wanted to work with him. No matter how hard he looked for Jinyoung, he never seemed to find him, and in the process was always interrupted by different people wanting to talk. It was almost a relief when Jaebum approached him, armed with new merchandise from his  _Cat_ chmaker book series to hand out.

“Hey, have you seen Jinyoung around?” Mark asked, accepting the plush Siamese planted in his arms. “I need to talk to him.”

“The rookie author in your department? Oh, there's this kind of private room area off the lobby. For brides getting married here to use as a dressing room, I suppose. Anyways, I saw him sneak off there with a book. I get the feeling this kind of party really isn't his thing.”

“It isn't,” Mark agreed. “Thanks, Jaebum. By the way, your last book was great. Keep it up.”

“As if Youngjae would not let me keep it up. He's a slave driver.”

“Just the way you like it, huh?”

Jaebum rolled his eyes and waved Mark off.

Mark headed to the lobby and hunted down the room Jaebum had mentioned. He gave a little knock on the door before pulling it open. Sure enough, Jinyoung was there, nose buried in the latest book published by the supernatural department.

As soon as he noticed Mark coming in, he leapt to his feet. “Mark? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be out chatting with the authors?”

“Shouldn't you be out chatting with the publishers?” Mark shot back. “Actually, I wanted to talk to you, and you are an author, so it looks like I'm still doing my job properly. Am I allowed to interrupt your quiet time for a bit?”

“Yeah. Sure. Go right ahead.” Jinyoung's voice sounded a little more high-pitched than usual. “So...you finished my manuscript?”

“I did. Great job, Jinyoung. I don't think I say that enough to you. I'm a bit of harsh taskmaster, aren't I?”

“Only because you should be,” Jinyoung said quickly. “Really, I should have listened to your advice from the beginning. I would have never been able to improve if I'd never met you.”

“You don't have to be sorry for being stubborn, Jinyoung. Every once in awhile, there actually are some things worth being stubborn about.”

“Yeah...but defending the weak parts of my writing probably wasn't one of them.”

“Maybe not. But you have the right to be proud of your work. It was good even when it wasn't perfect. But now it's just...it really feels like you've found your voice, and I'm proud of you.”

Jinyoung beamed at him, his smile wide and beautiful. “It really means everything to hear you say that. Thanks for the boosts along the way.”

Mark came closer to Jinyoung. He really looked good tonight. Mark rarely ever got to see him in a suit, but it looked perfect on him. Mark had always thought he was handsome, but it was better now to think it freely, without worrying about appropriateness. He was sure now that Jinyoung wouldn't terribly mind being looked at in that way, so he allowed himself the pleasure.

“Mark...?” Jinyoung whispered quietly, noticing the pointed stare.

“I'm sorry,” Mark said, looking him in the eye. “I'm sorry for being slow and not understanding your manuscript as quickly as you wanted me to. You were trying to make it obvious, but I... I guess I never really thought someone like you would be interested in someone like me.”

“Oh.” Jinyoung's breath caught a little. “So...you figured it out?”

“With a little help. But yes, I get it now.”

“I...I see.” Jinyoung shifted in place. “Look, I get that you're not looking for a workplace romance, and if it makes you uncomfortable, I could try having another editor. But I just really wanted you to understand how I felt. In my life, I've never really been challenged by anyone before. Everyone just told me I was good, so I never really understood that I could be better. But you saw things in me that I'd never even seen before in myself, and I wanted to become as great as you believed I could be. You're the first person who’s ever made me this proud of myself, and I just...I love how you make me feel. I finally understand love because of you, and I just wanted to memorialize that somehow.” He bit his lip. “I won't take back that manuscript or anything I said in it. But if you need to assign me to another editor, I understand.”

“Absolutely not.”

“Mark, I really don't think I can work with you in a professional capacity if you're not interested. We can finish this manuscript, but the next one-”

“Jinyoung,” Mark interrupted. “This is not how this story goes. You wrote it correctly the first time, a love story between two people who understand each other, who  _both_ want to be together. Do you know how I felt when I read that, Jinyoung? I wanted it. I wanted to feel that love, the love you were trying to show me. I wanted you to understand that kind of love because of me.  _I want you,_ just as much as you want me. I also love how you make me feel, how your words and ideas touch me, and I'm ready to admit that now. Didn't you want me to stop pretending? Weren't you tired of it, Jinyoung?”

“Yes,” Jinyoung breathed. “I want to stop pretending.”

“Good.” Mark drew closer to him, putting a hand on his waist. “Funny you used the line  _there is no perfect seduction_  in the middle of a book that seduced me perfectly.”

“I've been wrong before. You know that better than anyone.”

“I also know that when you get things right, you get them  _right_.” He wrapped his hand around Jinyoung's neck. “Come here. I want to show you everything.”

His lips tasted as good as they looked. Or perhaps better. The contact was soft, almost chaste, as if they both needed to reconfirm that this was all actually OK before taking more. They broke away quickly, their cheeks a little flushed as they studied each other. “Good?” Mark whispered to Jinyoung.

“Sublime,” Jinyoung whispered back before kissing him again.

This time there was no hesitation. Their lips crushed into each other, their bodies slamming up against each other in their need for contact. Mark grabbed Jinyoung by the waist, and Jinyoung's arms looped around Mark's neck, cradling him as they moved against each other. The room felt hot, and Mark quickly grabbed for his tie, yanking it off and loosening the collar of his shirt. Jinyoung did the same, his movements clumsy enough to where he needed to break off the kiss again, panting a little as he managed to push the knot off.

“ _Something sparks deep inside me, something that makes me want to both cry in joy and laugh until my lungs are exhausted,”_ Mark quoted, watching as Jinyoung loosened the collar of his shirt _. “The distance between us is at last crumbling, leaving the path to where we've been heading from the beginning finally open.”_

“Good memory,” Jinyoung said, laughing a little.

“I told you, that scene left an impact me.” He leaned in, kissing Jinyoung's jaw. “Your  _perfect_ little fantasy about the two of us.”

“Mark...” Jinyoung's hand grabbed for the buttons of his shirt. “Mind if I...?”

“Go right ahead.” Mark grinned as Jinyoung continued his clumsy movements on Mark's shirt. “ _My hands are shaking as I unbutton his shirt,”_ he narrated in a soft whisper. “ _I've never seen him like this, only imagined. Part of me still wonders if this is a dream I'll wake up from at any minute. The possibility drives my urgency. I have to chase the moment while it's still there to have. Slowly, I pull off his shirt, exposing his pale skin, the smooth contours of his body forever hinted at, but never until now seen._ ”

“ _He is beautiful,_ ” Jinyoung took over. “ _Slim and strong and beautiful. Somehow both just as I had dreamed, but yet far superior because he is real. I can touch him, and the sound of his voice isn't just imagined to me. The beating heart, pounding there in his chest because of me, is no longer a fantasy.”_ He ran a hand down Mark's chest, pausing it over his heart. “ _I feel as if I couldn't possibly want a person any more than I do at this moment._ ”

Mark grinned, pulling off Jinyoung's shirt and tossing it on the floor. “ _He puts his lips on my neck-”_ Mark planted a kiss there, “ _my collarbones-”-_ another kiss- “ _and down to my chest. My knees start to weaken, and we sink down into the soft mink fur beneath us, ticking our bare skin_.” Mark glanced up at Jinyoung. “Happen to have a coat nearby?”

“No, but I  _am_ feeling a bit weak kneed.” He grabbed Mark's wrist and pulled him down onto the couch where he'd been reading. “Actually, I did a bit of editing from the original here. My fantasy of you... was frankly a bit more graphic.”

“Yeah?”

“And Jiyul was lacking some necessary parts at times. The original was more Jinyoung than Jiyul, and I edited it back into her when I finished and tamed it down.”

“I see.” Mark's lips curled into a smile. “This could be a good test, you know. See how much the author remembers from his unedited manuscript. By all means, keep narrating to me.” He reached for Jinyoung's belt. “This  _is_ how the original goes, right?”

“Um, right.”

“Then, let's hear it.”

“Er... _he reaches for my belt, his movements sure and certain as he pulls it off. I never in a million years thought he'd be so unquestioning with me, so firm and unafraid as if this is something he wants-_ ”

“It is.”

“- _as if this is something he too has been dreaming about. He kisses my abdomen-”_ A little squeak as Mark did so- “ _his fingers reaching down for the waistband of my boxers. I wait for him to hesitate, but he doesn't. He simply tugs them down, seeing me without-”_ He waited for Mark's reaction before continuing- “ _without disgust in his expression or regret in his eyes. He sees me as no one else has seen me, and his want remains unchanged._ ”

“You got that right,” Mark whispered. “And...?”

Jinyoung looked at him unsteadily. “You know, you could just do it how you would naturally.”

“And deny myself the pleasure of hearing your beautiful words about it? Never.”

Jinyoung's cheeks turned pink. “J-just for this part. OK? I want you to do it the way you want to for the rest.  _If_ you want the rest to happen, that is.”

“Right now, it's looking like a yes,” Mark exhaled. “Come on, hurry.”

“ _He...he looks into my eyes as if asking for permission, then brings his hand down to my groin, testing my reaction to the feel of his fingers. They're...they're...it's like...sending shivers up my spine the way he touches, like...like_ fuck, Mark, how am I supposed to think of this right now?”

“Come on, Jinyoung, you're allowed to go off script if you need to. Just tell me what it feels like and instruct away.”

“Well, excuse me if I lose some of poetic sensibility because I can't think straight.” Jinyoung furrowed his brow. “ _It feels like nothing I've ever felt before, knowing that someone who I thought would never return my heart is touching me intimately, the mere feel of his hand sending jolts of electricity through me. As I steady myself, he wraps his palm around me and slowly begins to move and-_ ” He shook his head, overcome by a heavy gasp of pleasure. It was glorious, so Mark didn't begrudge him the lack of narration. He continued to pump his hand, giving himself over to delight of how Jinyoung's barely repressed moans sounded, the way his hips jerked, demanding more friction from him.

“Sexy,” Mark whispered.

“I-I can't anymore,” Jinyoung choked out. “Just...just...just  _listen_ to me.”

“I think your natural reactions in this case are better to listen than anything you could write, anyway,” Mark said breathlessly. “Just one more thing, all right?”

“Y-yes.”

“If you want me to change what part I'm touching you with,” he said, tapping his lips, “give me a lead in narrative for that.”

Mark hadn't thought it was possible, but Jinyoung turned even redder. “You're horrible,” he hissed. “The exact devil I thought you were when we first met.”

“You're pretty terrible, too,” Mark teased. “Bullheaded Jinyoungie. But I still fell in love with you, anyways.”

“Fine... _fine._ ” He exhaled sharply. “ _I'm throbbing because of him. I'm a mess, the kind of person I never thought it was in me to become. But he isn't turned off by it in the slightest. In fact, he seems to only want to explore me more, to take me to a higher place with him. His hands slow against me, and he leans his face in closer, pressing his lips against the head of-”_ His words were a lost in a sharp gasp as Mark obeyed his instructions. “ _H-he looks up at me questioningly again, but I would never deny him the thing I also want. Licking his lips, he opens his mouth and takes me-_ ”

Mark was pretty sure he wasn't going to get anything more coherent out of him, but it was enough. It was strange how doing this hadn't even crossed his mind a few weeks ago, but now he was thrilled and aroused all at once with how Jinyoung was reacting, his voice leaking unsteady moans, the  _rest_ of him leaking against Mark's tongue. Mark wasn't sure how good he was at this, but tried to keep a good rhythm, lapping at Jinyoung with his tongue, taking him as deep as he could without gagging. It was new and strange and wonderful all at the same time, and Jinyoung's reactions were like a melody to his ears.

“M-Mark, you need to stop-” Jinyoung said urgently, tugging at Mark's hair. Mark eased off him, wiping the saliva and pre-cum from his lips before looking up at Jinyoung.

“Was it...not good?”

“Um, that's about the last thing I'd ever say about it. I just didn't want your first experience with me to be...you choking when I came and never wanting to do it again.”

“Ah,” Mark said. “Well, you seriously don't have to worry about the me never wanting to do it again thing. I did say this was a perfect seduction, after all. All of it.”

Jinyoung looked up at him, glassy eyed. “I feel the same, b-but...possibly we should consider stopping here? We are at a party.”

“I don't remember that stopping Mansik and Jiyul.”

“Yeah, well...they also happened to have a condom on them and didn't need to...prepare as much I would need to be prepared.” He looked at Mark regretfully. “I didn't think you'd return my feelings so soon, so I didn't... I didn't plan for this.”

“I get it,” Mark said gently. “I'm not going to be a brat about it. We could get a hotel after this, or I could go to your place.”

“My place would be good.”

“But in the meantime, we really should do something about...” He gestured to the swell in the front of his pants.

“Oh...” Jinyoung flushed a little, oddly surprised that Mark was aroused. “Um, I could...” He tapped his lips with his forefinger.

“As good as that sounds, I'm in the mood to  _not_ cut off your voice tonight.” Mark reached down for his belt and undid it, pulling his trousers and boxers down in one movement, enjoying the way Jinyoung looked at him as he did so. It was a beautiful thing to be wanted. He wondered why it had taken him so long to realize that.

“Come here,” he said, pulling Jinyoung onto his lap. When Jinyoung was settled against his thighs, he grabbed Jinyoung's hand to wrap it around both of their members, Jinyoung's still slick and now coming back to attention. “I think we've established at this point that you have a good imagination. Tell me how you would have me do it. If we had the things we needed and I could go inside you right here, right now. Tell me your fantasy.”

Jinyoung nodded, taking a deep breath. “You've already prepared me, and I'm ready for you. You've never done this before, so you're a little anxious. Will it hurt me? Will it somehow turn me off, if you don't do it perfectly? But please understand—you've already become the person I trust the most, the person who understands me in the deepest possible way. You won't hurt me. You're not capable of bringing me pain I didn't ask for. So don't be afraid, Mark. I'm waiting to accept you inside me.”

“So I can enter you now?” Mark asked, gazing hazily into Jinyoung's eyes.

“That's exactly what I want, Mark. You take it slowly, pushing the tip in, and I'm wrapping around you.” He tightened the grip of his palm around them. “I'm warm, aren't I? Maybe you haven't imagined it yet, but whatever you thought it would be like, it's better. I'm grabbing you and pulling you in, and you can't resist me. You go slowly, but you push in deeper. It's a little rough, but it stills feels like heaven. Because this is what I want to show you. Everything about me. Everything about  _you_. I want you to bury yourself in me until I'm all you can feel around you.”

“Jinyoung,” Mark exhaled, giving into the encompassing gestures of his hands. “You're amazing.”

“So amazing that you're losing control. You want to move, don't you?”

Mark nodded.

“But gently. You won't break me, but you can savor it if you take it slowly. Take the time to feel me around you.” Jinyoung moved his hand languidly against him. “It's good, isn't it?”

“Yes,” Mark whispered.  _Good_ was an understatement.

“I'm glad. I always dreamed about this, you know. Being with the one I loved. But since I didn't love anyone, it was a fantasy that never went anywhere. Too over idealized, you said? But this is real, and I can put it into real terms because you're the one I love, and we're going to learn each other inside out.” He swiped his lips against Mark's cheek, his breath coming out raggedly. “I'm clenching against you, Mark. I'm ready. You're thrusting it into me faster, and I'm loving it, I'm calling your name and asking for more.” He pressed his lips against Mark's ear. “Mark,” he moaned, pumping his hand harder. “Do you love me?”

“Yes, Jinyoung,” Mark panted back.

“You want me?”

“Badly.”

“Then this time,  _you_ tell me. I've given you my words. I need to hear yours.”

“I love you, Park Jinyoung,” Mark groaned. “I'm so glad... _so_ glad I realized it. That you made me realize it. I won't hold back anything from you anymore. I want to... I want to feel you just like this.”

“You will,” Jinyoung whispered. He slowed his hands, grabbing Mark's and putting them where his had been. “Finish us,” he whispered. “I want to...” He reached out and cupped Mark's face as Mark brought them closer to completion. “ _I knew from the moment he was inside me that I had fallen in love with the right person,_ ” Jinyoung quoted from his book, his voice breathy. “ _I knew, because he didn't feel completely separate from me as we joined together. He was an aspect of me, a part of me, a piece returning to where it belonged. We weren't becoming one. We've already been one for a long time, maybe even before we met each other. We were simply finding each other, opening our eyes to what was always there and forevermore will be_.”

0o0

“Another manuscript?” Mark asked, lifting an eyebrow. “You've become quite prolific.”

“I've only recently made my literary debut,” Jinyoung reminded him. “I need to stay relevant, don't I? Besides, you just give me so much inspiration to work with.”

“Yeah, yeah. Just a reminder that you're in romance, not erotica.”

“I could always switch.”

“You'd have to switch editors, too.”

“And we can't have that, can we?” Jinyoung leaned down and kissed him on the lips. “Be sure to read this as soon as you can. I'm dying for you to turn the romance scene into a reality.”

“Do I even want to know what you're going to have me do this time?”

“Yes, yes you do.” He grinned. “So be sure to read it carefully. I don't want anything going over your head again.”

“I can't help it, you're just so subtle.” He pulled Jinyoung against him for a moment, pressing his lips against his cheek. “Shall we make it to the top together, Park Jinyoung?”

“There's no place for you and me but there, Mark Tuan.”

 


End file.
